Never Change
by that one little guy
Summary: Oneshot. Why did Toph let Sokka go so easily after Suki came back? Maybe because she also paid him a visit in his tent that one night. Tokka, George. Takes place during The Southern Raiders.


**A/N: **Well, Avatar is over. Can you believe it? And as mind-blowingly epic as the finale was, I'm still a little heartbroken that Tokka didn't happen. Actually, I wouldn't even have minded it not happening as long as it got some closure. But, no. Not even that. It didn't get mentioned at all. I feel like a big plot point didn't get resolved and just left us hanging.

Well, that's what fan fiction is for.

--

"Suki! Suki, where are you?"

Sokka's head stuck out of his tent as he looked around. There was no sign of Suki anywhere, just the other tents arranged around his. It was hard to see in the dark, but he couldn't hear her approaching either, and by his reckoning it was more than ten minutes after they had agreed to meet.

Where _was _she?

Sokka sighed and withdrew back into his tent, sitting with his arms folded. What if she had forgotten? No, that was impossible – she had looked so excited when they had been discussing their little get-together tonight. Did she fall asleep and miss it? He didn't think so.

"I bet this is Zuko's fault," he muttered to himself. She had probably run into him as he was about to go inside, and now she was too embarrassed to come back. Zuko was a decent guy and all, but Sokka hadn't really enjoyed telling him about the day his mother had died. He needed something to take his mind off of it. And of course, Suki was that something.

He sighed and flopped over onto his back, wondering if he should go looking for her. He couldn't wait much longer.

Suddenly, he heard a light noise coming from outside his tent, gradually getting closer. Footsteps!

_That's her now! _he thought excitedly, immediately flipping over onto his stomach and assuming the (he hoped) seductive position he had been in before. He didn't have his rose anymore, but he didn't think she'd notice that.

"Well, hellooooo – " He broke off as he saw who had just walked in. His eyes bulged. This wasn't Suki either.

"_Toph?!_" he exclaimed, scrambling into a sitting position before remembering that she couldn't see him anyway. "What are you doing here? Why is everyone so interested in coming in here today?!"

"Hey there, Snoozles," Toph said casually, walking over and sitting down next to him. "Mind if I stay in here for a while?"

Sokka began to sweat. "Well, uh. . . just for a little, okay? I'm kind of expecting someone."

Toph frowned. "I know. You're waiting for Suki, aren't you?"

"Well, she _is _my girlfriend," Sokka said impatiently. "It's only natural we want to. . . you know. . . be together."

"Yeah. I know," Toph said in a low voice, turning her head away from him. Sokka raised an eyebrow. She was acting kind of weird.

"You okay, Toph?"

"I'm fine," she replied, though it obviously wasn't true. Before he could question further, she turned fully away from him.

_What is up with her? _Sokka wondered to himself. _Why did she come in here if she was just going to be so cold to me?_

"Sokka," Toph said with her back turned, "why do you like her?"

Sokka was caught completely off guard. Why would she ask something like that?

"Well. . . why not?" he countered. "She's smart, and brave, and an incredible warrior. And she's so pretty. I just love looking in her eyes," he sighed, starting to get lost in his thoughts. "And boy, you should have seen her take down the warden at the Boiling Rock. She was amazing."

"I'll bet she was," Toph grumbled, beginning to turn back to him. "Sokka – all those things you just said, they could have applied to anybody in this group. We're _all _smart and brave and strong. Why is she so special?"

Sokka felt a twinge of annoyance. "Toph, why are you saying all this?"

"I mean, come _on! _I'm the most powerful Earthbender in the world! I'm way stronger than she is!"

Sokka was about to snap back at her when suddenly he noticed her eyes were filling up with tears. He was struck in alarm. He had _never _seen her cry before.

"Toph. . . ?"

"I've wanted to tell you for so long," she sniffed, wiping her eyes on her sleeve. "You remember when Suki saved me from drowning at the Serpent's Pass? I gave her a kiss. . . because I thought she was you."

Sokka was stunned. "You mean. . . ."

"I really like you, Sokka. I have for a long time."

Sokka felt like he had just taken a blow to the head. Toph _liked _him? Toph, the crazy, sarcastic Earthbender whom he didn't even know had a sensitive side until now. . . she _liked _him?

For a moment, all he could do was watch silently as the tears spilled down her face.

"Oh, Toph. . . ."

"But it's fine," she suddenly said coldly, her expression growing hard. "You have Suki. Just forget about me."

Sokka began to reach out to touch her. "Toph, I could never forget about you."

"Sure you could," she snapped, sensing his hand and smacking it away. "She's all you care about."

"What? That's crazy!" Sokka said defensively. "I care about meat! And my boomerang! And taking down the Firelord and that crazy daughter of his! And – "

"I mean she's the only _person _you care about," Toph growled, looking even more annoyed.

"That's not true either," Sokka said firmly. "I care about Katara. She's my sister and I love her more than anything. And I care about Aang. He's the Avatar and the most amazing kid I've ever met. And it makes me so proud to see how much he's grown."

He crouched down to her level. "And I care about you, Toph. You're my best friend."

Then Toph did something very strange. As her eyes grew wide in disbelief, she turned and looked directly up at him. She looked right into his eyes. Though she couldn't possibly have seen them.

"I am?"

"Well sure! Who did you think it was? Zuko?"

Toph cracked a little smile. "Well, I did notice him coming in here earlier."

Sokka blushed in humiliation. "Come on, Toph. Think of all the fun times we've had together. Like when we were pulling all those moneymaking scams, or when we were fooling around with those purple berries and figured out Appa wasn't really sick. How could it be anybody else?"

The familiar smug look returned to Toph's face. "Yeah. I do know how to liven things up, don't I?"

"Exactly," Sokka agreed, ruffling her hair affectionately. "You're just like a little sister to me. Only. . . way more fun than Katara."

He suddenly realized that probably wasn't the best thing to say, as Toph started looking sad again at his words.

"That's all I am, though? Nothing more?"

Sokka sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, trying to think of what to say. "Look, Toph. Suki's my girlfriend. But that might change someday. I don't exactly have the best track record," he admitted. "But you'll never stop being my friend. That won't _ever _change."

"Mm hmm."

"And just because I _have _a girlfriend," he went on, grabbing both of her hands, "it doesn't make me love you any less."

Toph didn't say anything for a moment. Her cloudy green eyes were full of emotion, and it looked like she was tearing up again. But this time she looked happy.

"Geez, Sokka," she scoffed, letting go of him with one hand to punch him in the shoulder. "You're more of a sugar queen than your sister."

Sokka laughed, and so was completely unprepared when Toph suddenly threw her arms around him. After being stunned for a moment, he broke into a warm smile, then pulled her in and held her close.

Unbeknownst to either of them, Suki was standing outside the tent at that very moment. She had slowly and quietly pulled back the tent flap, and now, as they were hugging, she stood back and watched them.

And smiled.


End file.
